The rift between Draymond Green and Stephen A Smith didn’t last very long. Making an appearance on Shaq’s The Big Podcast, Dray initially called out Stephen A. for not defending him during the Rudy Gobert and Jusuf Nurkic debacle, despite knowing him personally. But after sleeping on it for some days and hearing the ESPN pundit’s side of the story, Green issued a public apology yesterday on Inside the NBA, which Stephen A Smith wholeheartedly accepted. While they buried the hatchet on national TV, the Warriors star’s apology reminded Smith of a similar incident related to Philly legend Allen Iverson and his life outside the court.

Addressing Dray’s apology on The Stephen A Smith Show, the veteran analyst claimed he felt humbled after the Warrior’s classy act and went into nostalgia, “I felt humbled because I started thinking about Allen Iverson.” When Stephen A. worked for The Philadelphia Inquirer and covered the Sixers in 2010, he wrote a column about AI, primarily his drinking and gambling trouble. Smith claimed he missed 99% of the details and only wrote, “You can’t be out partying and drinking.” However, the NBA legend was reportedly upset by his take.

Because of the controversial column, AI did not talk to Stephen A Smith for two years. Notably, Iverson had retired by then and was living in Atlanta. But many advised the ESPN pundit if the two met, the situation could even turn volatile. Despite multiple warnings, Smith flew to Atlanta to set up a meeting with AI and explained why he felt he was right. However, Iverson silenced Smith. He said, “It wasn’t what you said, it was that it came from you.” At that moment, the veteran pundit realized the players who knew him expected more of him. That was mainly because of their personal relationship. He had the same realization after Dray apologized to him last night.

What did Stephen A Smith write about Allen Iverson?

Yes, Stephen A Smith and Allen Iverson sat face-to-face and sorted things out. The column that triggered the whole saga was published on March 7, 2010, AI’s final year with the Sixers and in the league. Stephen A. Smith was warning the Philly legend to get back on track and prepare better for life after retirement. Citing multiple sources, Smith wrote, “Iverson will either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away.”

Then, Stephen A Smith also dove into AI’s relationship with ex-wife Tawanna. That’s because she filed for a divorce just a week before the column was published. Reminding Iverson that he then had alimony to pay and take care of his five children through child support, he needed to make better decisions. He was no longer the box-office star who won multiple scoring titles. Instead, AI was nearing the end of his career, with several issues in his personal life and no solid plan for the future.

While there might have been some truth in what Stephen A Smith wrote, the words he chose could be interpreted as too harsh, and AI took exception to them. Well, more than a decade later, it’s great to hear that the two eventually put the incident behind them.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow in what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.

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